The 1st Hunger Games
by Nafeesa
Summary: Farah's life changes completely when she enters the Hunger Games with a complete stranger who ends up as one of the most important people in her life
1. The Hunger Games are born

It was a sunny day in District 4, everything was calm and beautiful as the birds rested on the trees, as the little boys went out and played in the water, and men and women off in the water to collect food. It all was perfect until that evening, as dusk swarm in for the night the capitol made their punishment for the rebellion that finished last week. When the news got out, I wanted to start a rebellion all over again.

I lied awake all night as President Snow's words repeated in my head over and over again, "As a punishment to all the rebels who thought they could over power us, this is where they got everyone. I have created the Hunger Games. In these games each district will have to send one boy and one girl to come to the Capitol. Here, they will have one week to train and practice to fight. Then we shall put them in an unknown arena where they shall fight until one survives death and is crowned the victor. The age group for the children is twelve to eighteen. After that they will no longer have to face what we call the "reaping". This is a mandatory to watch unless you are a child at school or a parent at work. Good night, the first reaping is in a week. Tomorrow your mayor will give you the details. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor." It was almost impossible to sleep until one thought came into my brain that allowed me to sleep comfortably. The imagination of me punching Snow over and over again.

"FARAH! GET UP RIGHT NOW OR THE PEACEKEEPERS WILL PUT YOU IN PRISON!" God she has to be the most annoying, overprotective, amazing cook mom ever. See I tell myself, I can be nice to her. As I walk out I see my crazy little sister, Diana, god what is the matter with her. Why did she end up as the weird, social, and fun type while I was the calm, mean-to-guys, straightforward type with one friend, Sofia?

"Come on Farah, I heard that every year, after twelve, your name gets put into the jar one more time. Do you know what that means? You have a worse chance of getting in then I do," She said. I could see the tears coming from her eyes. God, why does my family worry about me so much, even my younger sister is scared for me, but if what she says is true than I guess she has the right to be crying. After all I'm sixteen and she's only twelve so my names in there four times while hers is just once. To make it worse most of the kids in 4 are around Diana's age and she has so many friends. One of them is probably going to get picked.

"DIANA, FARAH, HURRY UP ALREADY OR YOU WON'T GET BREAKFAST" our mother yelled.

"I'll race you down" Diana said.

"You're on." I replied. With that we ran to the kitchen and being with my sister like that reminded me that the Capitol can't steal the happy times and memories with my family.


	2. The Reaping

"So it's agreed," Sofia said.

"Yep. I talked to Diana about it and she agreed that if your name got called than she'll cover your sister's mouth so she can't volunteer for you and your sister agreed to do the same for me?" I replied.

"Yeah she agreed to do the same for you. When's the reaping suppose to start and what are you going to where I mean I know you hate dresses and skirts and all?"

"It's just for today so I think I'll survive and it starts at 2:00. Better go see my family before they freak out. Later." With that I ran off, not knowing that was the last talk we'd have before the worst times of my life began.

"You look so pretty! I can't even recognize you!" Diana says as we all walk down the street to our plaza.

Well she is right. I couldn't even recognize myself in the mirror when I was at home. My long brown hair was curled thanks to my mom; she put on a little make up on me, and I'm wearing one of her long skirts with a nice blouse, shoes, and ear rings that match my blue-green eyes. To be truthful I look like an "actual girl" and it makes me want to puke.

I couldn't wait to finally get home but it took a long time for that to happen and when I didn't get to see the look on anyone's face.

"LADIES AND GENTALMEN! WELCOME TO OUR 1ST HUNGER GAMES REAPING! LADIES FIRST!" said our over enthusiastic escort. I think her name was Clary but I'm not sure.

I give Sofia a squeeze on the hand for good luck but it just did the opposite because right when I finished her name was called. I watched as my fragile friend went up on the stage, straight for her death and I knew that everyone I loved would hate me for this.

"Do we have any volunteers for this young lady?" Clary's voice boomed though out the whole plaza. As Sofia glanced down to make sure her mouth was covered I did the thing that ruined our friendship forever.

"I VOLUNTEER!" I screamed and took her place and she looked at me with her eyes before she left the stage and the only thing they said were "betrayal".

The boy was someone of the name Alec Grayson but that name didn't matter to me before it was too late. Everything, especially the truth, comes to me too late and the place I found that out about that problem was in the arena.

**Sorry it took me so long to update but for some reason it wasn't uploading!**

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	3. The Goodbyes

The goodbyes were completely unhelpful to my mood. My mother and sister came in 1st and the way to start off my goodbyes were a "how dare you go and risk your life" but end as a "that was very sweet of you to help her". That did brighten things a little but it looked like something was bugging my mom. So I couldn't wait any more I asked. "Mom, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing sweetheart, nothing at all," she replied but there was something in her eye that told me she was lying.

"Mom, there's a chance I'm not going to come home again, and if that happens then I want to die knowing the truth." I say knowing that she will have to tell me now that I reminded her I might die.

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll find out. Just not by me." she replies just as the peacekeeper walks in. We hug one final time and I watch as my family leaves, wondering what her last sentence meant.

"That's it," the peacekeeper says just as my cousins walk out.

"There's no one else to see me?" I ask.

"Yes. Now let's go" and he leads me out. I should have known that Sofia wasn't going to come and see me. She's probably so mad at me she'll barely be able to watch me in the games.

I wait outside of the station with Alec. It's amazing how much we both look alike with our brown hair, light skin, and blue-green eyes. Then again we did live in the same area of 4 and I have seen him in school a lot even though he's 2 years older than me. In fact he's about my height too; he seems to be only a .5 foot taller.

As the plane pulls in and we walk inside I become relived that all the goodbyes are over until I turn to see Alec right next me. His eyes are staring right into mine. "Don't say anything until I finish alright?" he said.

"Alright," I reply, unaware of the news to come.

"Your friend, the one you volunteered for, came to me during the goodbyes." He says as he pulls something from his pocket, "She wanted me to deliver this to you. I don't know anything but that so not any questions please" and with that, he turned and walked away.

I open the note not sure of what it will say. It turns out to go like this:

_Dear Farah,_

_I see you have found a loophole to our deal. I always knew you were clever like that. Now I want you to know that while you are in the arena I will be fighting for you to win but if you do, don't come home thinking our relationship will be the same because it won't. I feel that we can no longer have the relationship we used to so I think it would be best if we just did not have a friendship anymore when you return home. Goodbye old friend._

_ -Sofia_

With that I collapsed to the floor weeping. I lost everything that meant anything to me.


	4. Gaining Hope

"Hello there," our escort said, "my name is Luke and it is a pleasure to meet you. Now I'm in charge of making sure you get to where you go when you need to. Since this is the 1st year of the Hunger Games and you can't have a mentor the Capitol has provided a trainer to help you."

"Okay that's great," I say; "I can die knowing in the comfort that someone from the Capitol trained my skills and the person who killed me." With that I spin on my heels and turn to the direction of my quarters. As I storm off into my room I can hear Luke whisper, "What is wrong with her?"

"She can be a little moody. Besides cut her some slack she just volunteered for her friend and I'm pretty sure that note I gave her was really bad," Alec says.

"I thought you two didn't know each other," Luke says obviously curious with this whole thing with Alec knowing about my anger issues.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing," he replied. Now that I heard enough I slam my door shut and in a few minutes hear Alec do the same. Once his door is closed I can't help but think how does he know so much about me?

After I finish taking a quick shower I lie down and think about my day. I got put into a game where my chances of dying are extremely high, I lost my best friend and I found out that my fellow tribute might be a complete stalker on me. Well now its time for dinner so lets see what else is going to come on this terrible day.

I willingly pull myself out the bed I've been laying on and grab Sofia's note. I throw the note across the room to notice that there's something written on the back of it. I dash over and read the back. It went:

P.S. As our last gift of friendship I would like to give you this bracelet. I noticed how much you loved it right before the reaping. I was going to give it to you after the reaping but we both know that's never going to happen now. So please wear it and cherish it. The last gift before our friendship ends.

I stare at the bracelet that my former friend gave to me knowing it is the last thing I have left of her. I put it on and stare at it. I notice a locket on it shaped as a heart. I pop it open only to find that there's a picture of Sofia and me laughing on one side and my family on the other. I pull my hand close to my heart and the bracelet follows it.

Now I feel more confident then ever. I stand up wash my face one more time and head out to the dinning room. I'm ready to face everyone because now my family is with me. They all have faith in me. With their support I might be able to win these games and get home.

Everyone is already eating by the time I arrive. I look at the food and start to pile up my plate. I was about to think no one was going to talk to me until Alec says, " So, did you get out all the anger of loosing you friend?"

When all I do is give him an evil look I notice that he generally wants to know if I'm okay. I still don't respond though. He doesn't need to know anything about me. He doesn't need to know about the problems in my life. The longer I don't reply to him the more upset he seems. It's like he really wants to know me better so I finally answer him. "Yes. I looked through the card again it really helped me clear things up in my brain" I tell him and just as I do his face seems happy.

I don't know what it is but there is something that he wants to know about me. There's something that's so familiar about him. Something that has the key I need. The key I need to survive in the arena. The thought of this gives me hope. Hope, that if I find out what this thing is, I can come back home. "Alec, how would you feel about being my ally in the arena? I know it would be a small disadvantage because we'll know basically all the same things but I really do want you."

Just before Alec can answer, Luke asks us if we wanted to be trained alone or together.

Alec replied, "I would love to be your ally but if you don't mind I'd like to be trained alone."

I try to hide my disappointment, which I'm very good at since I'm the best actress at my school, and reply, "Sure. That's completely fine with me."

For a moment our eyes look straight at each other. Then suddenly I get this look of me and another boy a year or two older laughing. I pull away from Alec's eyes and he does the same with mine. So I have my game plan, find out Alec's secret, when we get all the week down or when I find out his secret (which ever happens later) I run him into another group of allies that I have so they can kill him, kill that group of allies in their sleep, and then get home to District 4. The only change is to find out what that vision meant. If only I could have found out that things would go nothing as planned.


	5. Creating the Career Pack

"Alright we're almost done ok," a member of my prep team says, "we just have to rip off one last piece of hair are you ready?"

"Sure what happened to "are you ready" with the 1st million pieces of hair you ripped off?" I reply. Of course all my prep team does is laugh. Why on earth do they think this is funny? Is it the way I'm saying it because I'm being pretty straight forward about it?

"You're such a sweetie pie!" A girl from my prep team says, "You might not believe this but we actually thought that you might not like us! Silly isn't it."

"No I couldn't see that all," I say with so much sarcasm in voice you'd have to be crazy to not know I was kidding and of course my prep team doesn't. I was ready to tell them they were the stupidest people on the planet but then they ripped the final piece off my leg.

"There you're all done! Let's go get Maggie," and with that my prep team ran out giggling. They had to be the stupidest people on the planet. I was ready to put my robe on until my stylist walked in.

"Okay you piece of filth, let me get you ready for your little chariot ride so we don't have to talk to each other, alright?"

"Sure. Finally someone who isn't an idiot in the Capitol," I reply.

"I'm glad we understand each other," Maggie said and with that she helped me get into my outfit and took me down stairs to where all the other tributes waited.

"Now stay here and wait for your little tribute friend here," Maggie ordered and went on to talk to the other stylist. I waited by with the horses, just petting them until a boy from district 2 came over. At 1st he just stood by me and I did the same until he couldn't take it anymore and started talking to me.

"Hey. My name is Davis. When I was watching the recaps of the reaping I noticed you're a really good actress. I mean you'd have to be. I could tell you wanted to cry but somehow you were able to keep it all hidden under a mask. That's helpful when people are in the arena, you could trick people easily. So what do you say?" He said.

"I'm sorry what?" I reply.

"Sorry, when I start talking I don't stop for a while. To answer your question, how would you fee to be my ally with my District partner and the District 1 kids?" Davis said.

"I don't know let us think about it," and there he was. From out of nowhere Alec came up behind me and answer for me.

"Excuse me? I don't think I was talking to you. I was asking…"

"I'm Farah and to answer your question, I'm already allied with Alec so if you want me you'll have to take him as well."

"Fine what better way to put it? The 3 strongest districts partner up to kill the weaker. It's perfect. Well the ride is going to start soon so I have to get back but I'll see you in training." With that Davis turned around and walked away.

"I'll let this be up to you but I say we kill them in their sleep. Anyways let's not think of that now. What are you wearing I thought you hated dresses?" I look down at myself and remember where we are and what is happening. The demon, Maggie, put me in a sea green dress and with high heels and extremely long earrings.

"1st of all, I personally had no say in what I was wearing. 2nd, I completely agree with you in the killing them all in their sleep. 3rd, how did you know I hated dresses?" I ask still determined by the fact that he's a stalker.

Luckily he was saved from answering because Luke came over and told us it was time to get ready for the ride.

Alec and I got on our chariot and waited for our turn to go out. Just before we were about to go out Alec turned and faced me.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"No but like Davis said, I'm the best actress in our school or did you already know that?"

He turns back to face the crowd and just before we went out he said, "I did."

With that we rode out into the crowd with me thinking about why he knew that, and everything else, about me.


End file.
